Various forms of four-wheel drive vehicles have been heretofore provided. However, most four-wheel drive vehicles driven from a single prime mover include solid front and rear axle assemblies and do not afford independent four-wheel suspension.
In addition, other forms of four-wheel drive vehicles driven from a single prime mover utilize what are commonly termed as limited slip differential assemblies constructed in a manner whereby the wheel afforded the greater traction is driven by a majority of the torque supplied to the associated differential and the wheel afforded less traction is driven by a considerably lesser amount of torque applied to the corresponding differential. However, the present construction of limited slip differentials is such that the transfer of a majority of the rotary torque supplied to a limited slip differential may be alternately transferred between wheels driven by that differential as a result of alternating greater traction afforded by the associated wheels only after a minimum time delay and with the transfer of the majority of rotary torque to the wheel afforded the greater traction being thereafter accomplished suddenly with the result that considerable alternating sudden application of rotary torque to the wheels driven by a limited slip differential is experienced as a result of the traction afforded the wheels driven by the differential experiencing alternating greater traction. This, of course, results in a four-wheel drive vehicle which does not afford maximum traction and is sometimes difficult to maneuver.
Also, conventional four-wheel drive vehicles are not afforded convenient power take-off locations and most four-wheel drive vehicles of the four-wheel steering type include excessively complicated four-wheel steering mechanisms.
Accordingly, a need exists for a four-wheel drive vehicle of the type including independent wheel suspension on all four wheels, simplified four-wheel steering, constant application of rotary torque to a predetermined maximum to all four driving wheels and multiple conveniently located power take-off locations.
Examples of previously known forms of four-wheel drive vehicles including some of the general structural and operational features of the instant invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 923,167, 1,083,135, 1,245,158, 1,274,068, 1,474,198, 2,103,624, 2,367,151, and 2,699,222.